Successful Proposal
by Britonell
Summary: Oneshot. Alarms went off in his head as Inuyasha gripped the ring box. How had he gotten into this predicament? Well, it didn't take a genius to figure out why this was happening: He was a terrible planner.


**AN:** Originally written as an inusecretsanta gift for animaniacal. There's quite an active Inuyasha community on Tumblr.

I made accompanying gifs for this story that's only available on my post. Just look up Successful Proposal or inusecretsanta on my Tumblr page (username's also britonell).

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Successful Proposal

Alarms went off in his head as Inuyasha gripped the ring box. How had he gotten into this predicament? Well, it didn't take a genius to figure out why this was happening: He was a terrible planner.

Kagome, his girlfriend of three years— _had it already been_ _three years?_ —had asked if he was doing anything during his Christmas break. That had been when the lightbulb on top of his head lit up. (Now Inuyasha wondered if that proverbial lightbulb had fallen and given him a concussion.) He had immediately booked a hotel room, and then promptly thanked his lucky stars because there had exactly been one room left due to a cancellation. Then he had gone ring shopping.

Inuyasha stared down at his girlfriend, who wore an adorably puzzled expression, and seriously contemplated if it had all been a mistake. Had he misread the signs? He was certain he hadn't. After all, she had made comments in the past. Obvious comments that even he couldn't miss.

More than once, they would walk past a retired couple taking a stroll in the park and Kagome, with that small smile he loved so much, would quietly say she looked forward to growing old together. Inuyasha usually stuttered and blushed, caught off guard by her soft-spoken words as much as her nonchalance, like there was no question they were in it for the long haul. Then there was that one time when she had inquired, while they lounged on the couch, what they would name their future kids.

Red-faced and stupefied, he vaguely remembered saying he didn't care, as long as they didn't name any kids after a certain half-brother…or that wolf who still wouldn't stop flirting with her whenever they ran into him, god dammit.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome gently said his name, looking up at her boyfriend with wide eyes. Despite her high heeled winter boots, he still towered over her. A familiar surge of protectiveness swept through him and he resisted the urge to suddenly embrace her.

 _Stay on track,_ Inuyasha mentally berated himself. _Just gotta say the words._

"Inuyasha? You OK?"

Then again, what if he had been reading the signs wrong? Because it seemed like the universe was telling him this was a terrible mistake.

The hotel had been less than ideal, to say the least. Granted, Kagome had marveled at the ornate tapestry and antique furniture in the hotel lobby, but that still meant the hotel was from a bygone era. The ancient elevator was slow and loud, so much so that Inuyasha opted to carry Kagome up the stairs in frustration, ignoring her squeals of protest. Their room, though larger than he had anticipated, wasn't any better. Their windows faced the courtyard behind the hotel instead of the festive streets, the aging lock on the bathroom door was busted, and the walls were paper-thin, at least for his ears.

Fortunately, he had managed to hide his frustrations. Kagome loved the hotel, she claimed. She grew up in a shrine, so she of all people could appreciate a building's history. Her gratitude was so earnest that Inuyasha almost wasn't sure if she was only being kind for his sake.

She probably appreciated his efforts to keep his temper in check. Oh, he had been tested. Like when he had overheard the two guys in the lobby argue whether the cute girl in the green coat and pink hat was a 9 or a 10. Donning a dreadful expression, Inuyasha had blocked their view and stared long and hard until they got the message and quickly left the lobby.

Dressed in her favorite green coat and pink hat, Kagome gasped in joy when they had found an authentic French bistro for lunch. Inuyasha thought he had actually done something right for once…until they finished ordering their food and his ears swiveled towards the harshly whispered words from the opposite side of the room.

"A surprise proposal?"

"It was an absolute disaster," one of the women at the table explained before delicately sipping her tea. "We were all mortified. We all knew the instant it happened she would reject him."

"You mean he did it in public?" The other woman asked, appearing shocked but unable to hide the sadistic glee in her eyes. "My goodness!"

"Oh yes, it was a terrible idea. He should've known better."

Everything was white noise after that, which was why he missed their in-depth discussion about "manipulative boyfriends trying to save failing relationships with public proposals." No, he heard nothing but "He should've known better" all throughout lunch. The words continued to haunt him after the sun had set and most of the tourists had left for their hotel or restaurant. Inuyasha didn't know how long they had walked, but if Kagome hadn't called out when she did they might have wandered for another hour.

"Inuyasha?"

His knuckles went white; his grip so tight he was surprised he hadn't already crushed the ring box hidden in his pocket.

 _Just gotta say the words,_ Inuyasha chanted. _Just gotta—_

 _"_ _He should've known better."_

"Are you sure you're all right?" Kagome reached up and stroked his cheek. Despite the million things racing through his head, he still recognized the fingerless gloves she wore. He had bought them for her last year because she had mentioned her old ones had holes in them, not realizing she had already bought another pair. How many times had he done things without forethought and proper planning? It just never seemed like he was doing enough for someone as incredible as her.

Pretty and fashionable, popular yet studious, fiery, determined and utterly devoted to her family and friends; Kagome was perfect the way she was and she deserved everything.

What did he have to offer?

"If you're not feeling well," she started but Inuyasha nervously cleared his throat. Of course she would worry about him. She was selfless like that.

"C-close your eyes," he said, more quietly than he intended.

"What was that?"

"J-just close your eyes, dammit!" he said, louder this time and supporting a blush that refused to clear.

She raised an eyebrow but silently acquiesced and closed her eyes.

 _God I could kiss her right now—STICK TO THE PLAN._

…he didn't have a plan. Wait, why did he just ask her to close her eyes? What the hell was he doing!?

He pulled out the ring box and looked around. The street was deserted. This couldn't be a public proposal if no one was around, right? He nervously eyed the ring box in his hand and brushed his thumb over the smooth red velvet.

 _Now or never, I guess._

"Uh…open…your mouth?" _What?_

She didn't have to say anything to show her confusion. A small frown marred her brows, but she still followed his instruction.

He abruptly shoved the ring box in her mouth, paused to stare at the result of his impromptu decision, and whirled around to face the wall, silently shouting, _"Why the hell did I just do that!?"_

 _A moron, I'm a moron._

A salty scent and a muffled sniff made him freeze.

She was crying.

 _Oh crap, did I break her teeth!?_ Lingering doubts, previously swept into the dark recesses of his mind, mockingly emerged one after another. _Maybe she doesn't want to marry. Maybe I did read the signs wrong. What the_ hell _was I thinking?_

Hoping to repair the perceived damage he had just inflicted, he turned back around with his hands in the air.

"Ka-Kagome! I-I-I'm not forcing you! You don't have to marr _rrrmph!_ "

Perhaps he hadn't messed up.

Any and all remaining worries were soundly erased when they returned to their hotel room–which was a feat in and of itself because she refused to detach from his torso–and then as soon as he closed the door she practically tore his clothes off. In fact, he had to remind her multiple times not to be so vocal until eventually giving up, opting to swallow her cries as he pulled her closer to him, his dog ears mercifully picking up only the sound of their bodies.

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 **AN:** I can see Inuyasha bumbling through a proposal yet somehow being successful.


End file.
